The Problems We Solve

People often come to us for help in solving problems. Below are some of the more popular problems we solve.

How much can I spend in retirement?

Another way to phrase this problem is “will I run out of money?” When you were working and had a paycheck coming in each month you knew how much you could safely spend. Once retired, you may need to supplement your social security, pensions, and other steady income with money from savings. You need an income plan that can both help you establish how much you can spend, and provide a way to see if you are on track as the years go by. A good plan may allow you to spend more in the early, more active “go-go” years of retirement, then cut back as you move into the “slow-go years.” Creating an income plan is one of the key things we do for clients.

Do I have the right investments?

In today’s world, we are constantly being pitched a wide variety of investment options. Once you get to retirement how do you know what to choose? It all starts with the income plan. If you don’t have a plan for where the money will come from for the rest of your life how can you begin to know what to invest in? Yet many people we meet with seem to have a “junk drawer” of investment statements, with no idea how they fit into their retirement income goals. We help clients develop a plan, then fund it with investments it calls for.

I’m paying too much in taxes.

We have yet to meet the person that wants to pay more than their fair share of taxes. While working a person’s regular income usually came from a taxable paycheck, you had little control over the taxes you paid. This changes in retirement. For the first time, you may have significant control over where you take the money from and thus how much you pay in taxes. You may be able to balance the withdrawals over time to minimize your taxable income. You may even be able to “pre-pay” some taxes in a lower bracket using strategies like Roth conversions. We work with a client and their tax preparer to integrate their tax plan with their retirement income plan.

How will I pay for Long Term Care?

The good news is we're living longer. The bad news is it often means we have increased medical cost. Traditional Long Term Care insurance has gotten more and more expensive. At the same time, newer “hybrid” policies have appeared on the market, opening up options we didn’t have before. We can help you compare your options and decided what strategy might be right for you.

My wife Sandy and I sat huddled in the dark; the wind outside howled as if a freight train was going by. It was the fall of 1984, our first hurricane experience in Wilmington. Hurricane Diana raged outside for 2 days, it was the first major hurricane to hit the U.S. East Coast in nearly 20 years. Sandy and I made all the classic preparations: uselessly taping masking tape to all the windows and stocking up on water, batteries, bread, ice and—of course—beer. We had plenty of advance warning because, even 30+ years ago, there were satellites, radar, airplanes, weather buoys, and other means of assessing and informing us of a potential crisis.

As a parent and a financial advisor, it has always been important to instill the value of financial knowledge and to encourage other parents to teach their children to understand the fundamentals of good financial decision making.

Unfortunately, lessons in money management can fall by the wayside and by the time kids are starting to make their own money choices they do not have the tools to avoid costly mistakes.

Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values. None of the information contained on this website shall constitute an offer to sell or solicit any offer to buy a security or any insurance product.

*Any references to protection benefits or steady and reliable income streams on this website refer only to fixed insurance products. They do not refer, in any way, to securities or investment advisory products. Annuity guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Annuities are insurance products that may be subject to fees, surrender charges and holding periods which vary by insurance company. Annuities are not FDIC insured.

The information and opinions contained in any of the material requested from this website are provided by third parties and have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. They are given for informational purposes only and are not a solicitation to buy or sell any of the products mentioned. The information is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual's situation.